I can save you
by Kalio Halos
Summary: How do you get a certain hanyou to tell you their troubles? Someone (you can guess who) reflects on this, as well as a few other things. POV fic, oneshot.


I Can Save You

By Kalio

Disclaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha (much to my dismay) or any of the other IY chars.

A/n: Well, my second IY fic. If you keep up with Ranma fics, then you know I write for it occasionally, but I haven't written for IY nearly as much. This is mostly because I haven't been able to keep up with the IY fics on ff.net, also because I haven't read as much of the series as I'm sure most of you have. That is partly because although I have read the entire Ranma manga (I am almost a Ranma Guru. Well, okay, only with the mangas...) , I only had to buy three graphic novels. How, you ask, did you manage that? Well, I read all the way through graphic novel 13 or 14 from the library- I actually bought the first one- and then I found the site online that translated the rest, you know, the ones you can view for free. Therefore, Inu-Yasha is WAY more expensive to keep up with when your friends are more interested in anime than manga. So, as you can see, I am educated in Inu-Yasha only from reading fanfics and graphic novels that I've managed to buy with my meager allowance. I hope you enjoy my little fic; it's from someone's POV. It shouldn't be hard to guess whose. Enjoy.

***

I can see the pain that you carry in your eyes. They are flecked with more hurt and worry than you try to impart on us... but I see it. It must be hard to carry such pain.

As I lie here, in my sleeping bag, I have to wonder what you are thinking about, perched in that tree all the time. Are you thinking of the Shikon no Tama? Or are you thinking of your father? Maybe you are wondering when your brother will appear again; perhaps Naraku is on your mind. Possibly, you are agonizing over your existence as a hanyou, a half-breed. You could be thinking of the weather, or where the next Shikon shard will appear. You may be wondering when I will disappear through the well, and just how long you will allow me to stay. But, I think the most foremost on your mind is... Kikyou.

Kikyou.

I really hate to think about her. Don't get me wrong, it's not just because I know you are still in love with her, not at all! Okay, that maybe part of it... but mostly, I hate to think of her because everyone thinks that I am her reincarnation. I hate to think that I was ever that chilly and vengeful of someone I loved. I try to put myself in her place, thinking of how I would feel if you tore me to pieces for the Shikon no Tama. I've tried so hard, but I can't see myself willing to drag you to hell for vengeance. Maybe it's how they say, you can never tell what you would do until you've been put into that position. I still hate it.

I also hate to think that a part of me is missing and placed in that shell of her former self. I hate to think that I'm her replacement to you. I hate to think that I am not me, that I'm only a slight variation of someone who already lived and died, that I am Kikyou born under different circumstances, that she would be the same as me if we were switched. That I would hate you if I had her life and death. But mostly, I think I hate being pushed aside when she is around. Feeling unimportant because I came second, centuries from now. Especially because I came second. She has already lived her life, ne?

But I digress in my thoughts...

I crack an eye up to your perch. Not enough to be noticed, just like as if I was squinting. I see your outline staring at the stars, perhaps the moon. You hate the moon, and it's cycle. I understand that you despise being human, detest the feeling of being weak without your demon powers. But is being human so bad? Did your demon father not fall in love with your human mother? Did you not fall in love with Kikyou? Are we really all that horrible?

I really love when you are human. Not that I would ever tell you that. You would snort in disgust and ask me why I would like such a terrible curse. I would never be able to tell you that I love how much more clearly I can see your soul, how I can almost sense your mother in you. Your eyes are less fierce, no matter how you try to cover it up. As a human, you have to try and push me away as hard as you do in your hanyou form. I love how your hair turns a deep black like mine. I love how you try to smell my pack when I'm not looking because you don't have my smell in your nose constantly. Not that I would notice anything flattering like that, or anything...

I can hear you shift uncomfortably in your tree. I can feel your eyes glow over me. I wonder what you are thinking now. I wish you would talk to me. I know that under all that macho crap, you are really hurting, from one thing or another. Perhaps over your family. Possibly over the Shikon no Tama and Naraku. Conceivably, you could be thinking of Kikyou or me. Maybe even over our 'eccentric' traveling companions. You have so much to think about, but no one to talk to, neither do I for that matter. I take that back; Sango-chan is one of the best friends I have ever had. But you would never talk to the lech or anyone like I do to Sango.

If you want to, I can save you. From all of this. Maybe not physically, I think you've got that covered for all of us. But, I can save you from those little-demons eating you alive every night, the ones that keep you from sleeping. The things that your pride will not allow to be made known. But I know. I can see them in your eyes, the pain you carry with you. I can listen, and I'll promise not to get mad, not 'sit' you. I won't laugh, though I may cry. I can't promise not to cry. I know I will. But, I can save you, I can listen like no other has ever bothered, but only if you want to. Even though you need to, I will not force you to talk; I have no truth potions or spells to make you talk. I can only hope.

I hear you shift once more. I sit up, and stare at you until you speak.

'Well? What has you up so late? You need sleep for Shikon shard searching tomorrow.' I flinch at the hardness of your voice. You must have seen it out of the corner of your eye, because you softened your tone and turned to me. 'Did you have another nightmare?'

I look at my hands in my lap, unsure for the moment what to say. I lift my face to look at you. 'No... not a nightmare. I was... I was just thinking.'

'Oh yeah? About what? That Hobo bastard?' Your voice holds contempt that I don't like.

I frown slightly, not wanting the conversation to nose dive so quickly. 'No. I was thinking about... you, actually.'

Your head snaps sharply toward me, surprise written all over you features. 'What?' Your expression flashed hurt for a moment. 'I won't go away no matter how hard you wish it.' There was another edge to your voice that I couldn't quite read.

'I wasn't wishing you away, alright?' I do wish, however, that you wouldn't assume the worst things out of me.

'Oh? Well, don't expect me to tuck you in.' You almost stared a hole in the moon.

'I was wondering why you never sleep. I know you want to guard us, but... I thought maybe you were thinking about something else.' I watched you closely. Your head turned to me quickly.

'About what?' I could hear the caution in your tone.

I shrugged. 'Anything. Your family. The Shikon no Tama. Naraku. Kikyou. Me...' I almost laughed when he fell out of the tree and into the brush beneath it. Oh, okay... so what if I laughed hysterically?

'What?!' He fumed, mostly, I believe from being caught off guard and me laughing at him. 'Who would think about a wench like you?!' I could have added insult to injury with a 'sit', but since I was trying to be nice and get him to talk, I decided against that course of action.

'You. Don't you think I can feel it when you look at me when I'm not looking. Your stare happens to be rather piercing.' 

Inu-Yasha frowned. 'Yeah, so what?'

'I thought that maybe some things were troubling you. I thought you might want to talk about it. At least... some of it. Like what your mother was like.' Your eyes glazed a little, as if remembering something wonderful.

'Mom was the coolest woman alive; she would light up any room with her smile...' You paused a moment, then, as if realizing where you were and who you were talking to, you outburst. 'Hey, wait-a-second! Why am I telling this to you?!'

I scowled. 'Maybe because I am the only one willing to listen to you, wanting to listen to you? I mean, has anyone EVER asked you what was bothering you?'

You suddenly look sad. 'Kikyou once asked that... but now she would never consider such a thing.'

'Hey, Inu-Yasha?'

'Yeah?'

'You wanna tell me about it?'

***

Well? What do you think? ( Not so subtle hint for you to review) I didn't have time to edit, so if you spot a mistake, that's why. Oh, I don't own that little line 'If you want to, I can save you.' that Michelle Branch sings, I don't usually listen to pop at all, but I like that song. I didn't want to turn it into a songfic because that would kill the fic, but I thought the song fit so well, that I added the Anyway, this is a one shot, so don't review with 'more chapters pleeeeeeeease!' I can, however, be swayed into writing more IY fiction, so, the more good reviews I get, the more likely I am to write more, so C&C are welcome- invited... hint hint! No all out flames, please.


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